Repository: UIHistories Project: Book - History of the University (Powell) [PAGE 539]

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498

History University of Illinois

voluntary contribution. Who got this $12,000 or more money, used at Springfield to such an "incalculable advantage"? Some of those who voted for Champaign seemed nervously anxious to affirm that they had never seen a dollar of it; while others could not be made to believe that any such fund or any such ring had ever existed, as we have described, it was undoubtedly all expended on the opposition to keep them from voting for this "Champaign elephant" as it was appropriately called, en masse. These petitioners alleged that they were prevented from getting their remonstrances before the legislature only by the fraud and deception of the ring at Springfield. Meantime in despite the opposition of the ring an enabling act was at last forced through the legislature, and the legal competition of other counties admitted. The action of the counties of McLean, Logan and Morgan under these enabling acts were secured at great trouble and expense by the citizens; and not withstanding the time fixed for their action by the ring was so short that it was thought impossible for the counties to comply with its terms, (and therefore many of the ring voted for the act and fully and openly committed both themselves and their suborned presses, to the principle that the county which made the best offer should have the location), still even their own joint committee being judge, it turned out at last quite unexpectedly to the ring and their allies that each one of these counties, made far better offers, than Champaign in cash value, over and above their superiority in location and in all other respects. Here was a new and unexpected dilemma. Something must now be done. Their advocate and champion in the house, S. A. Hurlburt, a South Carolinian by birth, and social sympathy and philosophy (to say nothing worse of him) declared to his friends that the bid of Champaign would be written above all others, let the joint committee appraise them as they would. He declared in the presence of Mr. Baldwin and others that this whole scheme of educating the farmer was ad d humbug, and that he wanted to get it off down to Champaign where it would die as quickly as possible, and in accordance with this spirit he proposed the insane amendments attached to the bill on its third reading in the house. On another occasion he declared our whole system of public, of common schools, su-